Lot 38
  • 38

John Atkinson Grimshaw

Estimate
70,000 - 100,000 GBP
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Description

  • John Atkinson Grimshaw
  • A Moonlit Walk
  • signed and dated l.r.: Atkinson Grimshaw 1882+
  • oil on board
  • 22.5 by 45.5cm., 9 by 18in.

Provenance

Ferrers, London, where purchased in 1973 by a private collector and thence by family descent to the present owner

Condition

The board appears to be sound, bows slightly. The work appears in good overall condition, with some strong passages of impasto in the foreground. Ultraviolet light reveals an opaque varnish which makes the surface difficult to read conclusively. There appear to be no obvious signs of retouching. Held in a gilt wood frame with a canvas inset.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Catalogue Note

It is very difficult to write about Grimshaw's romantic, nocturnal scenes of elegant suburban streets, without quoting the lines from Tennyson's 'Enoch Arden' which describe the images so succinctly:
 
'The climbing street, the mill, the leafy lanes,
The peacock-yewtree and the lonely Hall,
The horse he drove, the boat he sold,
The chill November dawns and dewy glooming downs,
The gentle shower, the smell of dying leaves'

Throughout the 1880s Grimshaw painted a series of views of suburban streets in autumn, predominantly painted in Yorkshire. In these images of roads and lanes between the high stone walls hiding mansions and villas from prying eyes, the scenes are deserted except for one or two figures making their way down a leaf and puddle strewn road. These paintings are perhaps the most evocative and typical of the artist, who was unrivalled in his depiction of the evening gloaming and the majesty of full-moonlight. The busy traffic of horses and carts bringing goods into the city from the outlying farms have left their impressions in the damp soil of the road, but most have long since departed and the gateways have been closed to the outside world. The silver orb of the moon looms above all, contrasting with the golden man-made lamp-light emanating from the streetlamps and windows of the mansions. Grimshaw was arguably the most evocative painter of moonlit and evening scenes in which calmness and silence pervades these moody images.